Interlocking wear sleeve for tool joints



Dec.l4, 1943. w ABEGG 2,336,974 I INTERLOCKING WEAR SLEEVE FOR TOOL JOINTS Filed Feb. 28. 1942 max-m I 3uncntor, M4 7'52 A 45566 attorney Patented Dec. 14, 1943 INTERLOCKING NEAR SLEEVE FOR TOOL JOINTS Walter A. Abegg, Los Angeles, Calif., assigncr to Abegg & Reinhold Company, Ltd., Los Angeles, Calif.. a corporation of California,

Application February 28, 1942, Serial No. 432,782

5 Claims.

This invention relates to oil well drilling tools and particularly pertains to interlocking wear sleeves for tool joints.

It is Well known that oil well drill strings which comprise a series of lengths of drill pipe threaded together at intervals along their length are connected by sections called tool join-ts. A tool joint comprises a box portion within which the female thread occurs and a pinportion upon which the male thread occurs. In tool joints of the fullhole type the passageway through the tool joint agrees substantially with the passageway in the lengths of pipe carrying the tool joint. This necessitates that the tool joint must be of larger 4 outside diameter than the pipe in order to give sufficient metal to provide strength to the parts. It will be recognized that while the enlarged diameter of the tool joint insures strength to the parts of the joint, at the same time a disadvantage occurs due to the fact that this enlarged diameter will be subjected to excessive wear as the drill string rotates and is raised and lowered in the well. This is particularly true when the hole is crooked. Often in cases of excessive wear various expedients are used to repair or re-face the outer diameter of tool joints so that the drill string is given a much longer life. Various meth ods of solving this problem have been employed, such for example as turning the tool joint down to round and then shrinking or peening a sleeve on it. In some instances it has been found desirable to weld the sleeve onto the tool joint either at spaced points or all along the opposite ends of the sleeve. These methods have in many instance been objectionable due to the fact that the sleeves cracked or their strength has been otherwise impaired by the excessive heat of welding, or the sleeves and the welded portions have become loosened. These methods are also objectionable since when it is desired to remove and replace the sleeves there is considerable difficulty due to the weld integration. It is desirable to provide some positive means for holding the sleeves in position upon the tool joints in a manner to permit their convenient removal, and it is the principal object of the present invention to provide means for mechanically interlocking Wear sleeves upon tool joints and the like whereby the sleeves may be readily applied and locked into position against longitudinal and tortional strain and maybe easily removed.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a tool joint of cylindrical shape and over: which a. Wear sleeve is positioned and shrunk,

said tool joint and wear sleeve having contiguous faces receiving mechanical means which, when the sleeve is shrunk in position, will act to positively hold the wear sleeve on the tool joint in a manner to permit the sleeve to be readily removed when desired.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in section and elevation showing a tool joint of the type of which the present invention is concerned showin locking means arranged helically.

Fig. 1a. is a view in section and elevation showing a tool joint in which the locking means is disposed in a plane normal to the longitudinal center of the drill string.

Fig. 2 is a view showing another form of an interlocking wear sleeve for tool joints.

Fig. 3 is a view in diagram illustrating the manner in which a sleeve may be locked onto a tool joint.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the position of a locking ball within. complementary grooves of the tool joint and wear sleeve at the time of shrinking.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, l0 indicates an upper pipe section of a string. of pipes, and H indicates a lower section of a string of pipe. The upper section is fitted with a tool joint l2 and the lower section is fitted with a tool joint l3. These joints become worn in use and it is desirable to re-surface them by placing an outer wear-resistant sleeve upon them. The wear-resistant sleeve for the tool joint I2 is indicated at M. The wear-resistant sleeve for the tool joint [3 is indicated at l5. The tool joint I2 is fitted with a female threaded section It to receive the pin ll of the pipe section Id. The lower end of this tool joint is fitted with a threaded pin [8 extending into a threaded box it of the tool joint l3. An internally threaded portion occurs at the lower end of the tool joint !3 to receive the threaded end of the section of the drillpipe II. This is standard construction as used in the oil fields, although variations of this design of tool joint may be employed. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention is applicable to any cylindrical tool joint, and that the sleeves may be placed on new tool joints before they have been run into a well, or on tool joints that require a new wear face. The reason that the sleeves are equally applicable to both classes of tool joints is that the materialof the wear sleeves M-and i5, as shown in Fig. 1, is of greater hardness and toughness than the material of the tool joints themselves, and thus more efficiently resists the strain to which the tool joint is subjected. Before discussing the wear sleeves and their interlocking mounting upon the tool joints it should be pointed out that tool joints are not only subjected to the abrasive action due to rotation of the tool joint in physical contact with side walls of the well bore, but that under certain conditions the drill string may hang on the formation by direct contact of the sleeve.

This gives a longitudinal strain to the sleeve which is objectionable, as great strain is imposed upon the tool joint when it is hung by the sleeve on the elevator of the well rig. At that time the entire weight of the string of drill pipe would be imposed upon the sleeve.

the sleeve when it is engaged by the pipe tongs in producing relative rotation in the sections of the tool joint in making and breakin the joint.

The simplified form of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 1 in connection with the wear sleeve I5. This sleeve is formed with a oircumferentially extending groove 2| substantially semicircular in cross-section, which is complementary to a groove 22 cut around the circumference of the tool joint I3. At a point in the wall of the wear sleeve I and in register with the groove 2I is a radial opening 23. The diameter of this radial opening is at least as large as the width of the groove 2I. It is intended that when the grooves 2I and 22, which are of;semicircular section, are in register an annular passageway will extend entirely around the body of the tool'joint I3 to receive steel balls 24. The equatorial portion of these balls will lie along the parting line between the tool joint body I3 and the wear sleeve I5, and will prevent longitudinal movement of the wear sleeve and the tool joint body with relation to each other. These'balls are intended to be inserted through the opening 23, after which a plug 25 is welded in place. It is of course understood that a headless screw could be used if desired.

In order that the balls may be rapidly inserted before the sleeve has any appreciable time to shrink, it is desirable to blow them in under pneumatic pressure. Figure 3 shows a form of this construction, in which a hopper 26 is filled" with steel ball hearings or the like. At the bottom of the hopper is a valve 21 delivering the balls to a pipe 28. The pipe 28 may be placed with its lower end in communication with the opening 23 in the wall of the wear sleeve. The upperend of the pipe 28 has a side connection with a pipe 29 which communicates with a source of air under pressure. It will be evident that as the valve 21 is opened and the balls 24 fall they will pass into an air stream which will carry them into the groove around the tool joint in rapid succession.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. la in connection with the tool joint I3 and the wear sleeve I5 the circumferentially extending row of locking balls 24 which has been provided resists longitudinal slippage of the wear sleeve I5 upon the tool joint body I3.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 as embodied in the upper tool joint section I2 and its wear sleeve I4 a spiral groove has been cut around the interior surface of the sleeve I4, as indicated at 30, and a complementary spiral groove 3I has been cut around the exteriorsur- Furthermore, excessive crushing and torsional strain is applied tov face of the tool joint body l2. This disposes a row of balls 24 in a manner to resist rotation of the sleeve I4 on the tool joint body I2, as well as longitudinal movement.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2 a tool joint body 32 is shown having a wear sleeve 33 thereon, the sleeve being formed with straight longitudinal'grooves 34 of semicircular section which register with similar grooves 35 formed in the face of the tool joint body 32. This would provide a longitudinal key within which a straight row of balls 24 may be positioned.

In operation of the present invention as concerned first with the tool joint I3 carrying the sleeve I5, the tool joint and sleeve are formed with the circumferentially extending grooves 2I and 22. These grooves have a sectional width which substantially agrees with the diameter of the balls 24. In other words, the balls 24 set along the grooves in a manner to insure that their equatorial line will coincide with the parting line between the tool joint I3 and the wear sleeve I5. It is preferable that the depth of each of the grooves 2| and 22 shall be slightly greater than the radius of the ball 24. This allows a slight clearance space, as indicated at 36 and 31 at opposite sides of the ball 24, so that when the Wear sleeve I5 contracts radially and circumferentially around the balls there will not be a tendency for undue strain to be imposed upon the relatively thin portion of the wear sleeve circumscribing the groove 2|, which condition might cause the wear sleeve to crack circumferentially. When the wear sleeves have been formed as described they are made with an overall length slightly greater than the distance between the shoulder 38 and th end face 39 of the tool joint I3, a indicated at 46 in Fig. 3 of the drawing. After the wear sleeve has been heat treated and its temperature elevated to a degree which will expand the sleeve, so that it may freely pass over the too1 joint and so that the end face 38' will register with the end face 38 of the tool joint, the tube 28 is quickly inserted into the opening 23 and the valve 21 is opened so that air under pressure from the line 29 will force a desired number of balls 24 into the groove. Just as soon as the grooves 2| and 22 are filled with balls and end pressure is applied to the end face 38' of the sleeve I5, this will tend to force the balls upwardly so that they will have positive physical contact between the opposin faces of the grooves. While in this position the sleeve I5 is allowed to shrink. In shrinking there is longitudinal contraction of the metal as well a circumferential and radial contraction. The longitudinal contraction will cause the sleeve to draw tightly against the balls and to hold them in their uppermost position so that there will not be any possibility of relative movement between the tool joint and the sleeve due to longitudinal strain. As the sleeve shrinks around the balls they will be held tightly in position and will not move. The result will be that the tool joint I3 and the sleeve will be interlocked by mechanical means, which will hold the parts together against relatlve movement at all times. The end face 40 of the sleeve may then be turned down to agree with the face 39 of the tool joint.

In the other forms of the invention the operation is substantially the same, although the opening may be inclined.

It wil1 thus be seen that by the construction here disclosed it is possibleto apply a wear-reassacvc sisting sleeve to a tool joint and to anchor the sleeve on the tool joint against relative movement by concealed means which will not be subjected to abrasion and individual strain applied externally. It will be evident that the manner of applying a sleeve to a tool joint and locking it in place, as shown, eliminates any possibility of damage t the rietal of the as might be produced by a Welding operation. It is to be understood that While the elements have been described as balls that it might be desirable to pour metal into the grooves or to insert a wire which would be forced entirely around along the groove.

While I have shown the preferred form of interlocking tool joints and wear sleeves, and the preferred method of assembling them, it is to be understood that various changes may he made in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts, and the steps in the method of assembly as might occur to those ski led in the art, without departing from the spirit of the inven tion as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A tool joint structure comprising a cylin drical tool joint body having a groove in its outer face of semicircular cross-section, a wear resisting sleeve adapted to fit over said tool joint with a lit and having a complementary groove of semicircular cross-section, an opening through the sleeve and in communication with the groove, the grooves of the tool joint and Wear sleeve being in register, a plurality Of independent locking halls which passed through the opening and filled the complementary grooves, and. a plug closing said opening.

2. An interlocking wear sleeve and tool joint, said Wear sleeve bein fitted over the tool joint with a shrink fit, complementary grooves in the wear sleeve and the tool joint and in register with m at) each other, a separate metal element filling said grooves and bridging the meeting edges of the tool joint and wear sleeve, said metal element being gripped and held in position when the sleeve has been shrunk onto the tool joint.

3. In combination, a tool joint and interlocking wear sleeve removably positioned thereon, the oute surface of said tool joint be d with a recess, the sleeve being formed w" '6 into which the tool joint shrink fits, a recess in the surface of said bore complementary to the recess on th tool joint an adapted to register therewith, and separate locking means disposed within the cavity formed by the registerin recesses to hold the tool joint and sleeve in interlocked relation.

In combination, a cylindrical tool joint and a wear sleeve adapted to fit thercover, a s micircular groove formed on the outer surface 0 e f the tool joint, a complementary semicircular groove formed on the surface of the here through the sleeve and designed to register with the groove on the tool joint, and a mechanical looking ole-- ment inserted into the cavity formed by the complementary grooves, whereby the sleeve will be locked against movement upon the tool joint, said grooves extending helically of the tool joint and the sleeve.

5. In combination, a cylindrical tool joint a wear sleeve adapted to fit thereover, a semicircular g'roove formed on the outer surface of the tool joint, a complementary semicircular groove formed on the surface of the bore through the sleeve and designed to register with the groove on the tool joint, and a plurality of steel halls of a diameter substantially that of the cavity and filling the same to lock the sleeve against movement with relation to the tool joint, said grooves extending helically or" the too-1 joint and the sleeve.

WALTER A. 

